North American Butterflies and Moths List

The definitive website on wildbirds & nature

Butterflies of North America

Butterflies of Montana

Eyed Brown (Satyrodes eurydice)

Eyed Brown (Satyrodes eurydice [Johansson])

Wing span: 1 1/2 - 2 7/16 inches (3.8 - 6.2 cm).

Identification: Upperside is light to medium brown with black
eyespots. Underside of forewing has submarginal eyespots about the
same size, usually touching or linked like a chain; dark line
inside the hindwing's spot row is zigzagged.

Life history: The Eyed Brown flies weakly over and within low plant
growth and perches frequently. Males patrol in vegetation and
occasionally perch to court females. Eggs are scattered on many
different plants. Caterpillars eat leaves; the third and fourth
stages hibernate.

Range: Eastern North America from Nova Scotia south to Delaware and
west to Saskatchewan and eastern Nebraska. Outlying populations in
north-central Colorado, east-central Alberta, and northern Quebec.

Conservation: Smoky Eyed Brown (subspecies fumosus) is of concern
in several states. It has The Nature Conservancy Global Rank of G3
- Very rare or local throughout its range or found locally in a
restricted range (21 to 100 occurrences). (Threatened throughout
its range).

Management needs: Monitor populations of subspecies fumosus and
make conservation recommendations. Other subspecies have The Nature Conservancy Global Rank of G5 -
Demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts
of its range, especially at the periphery.

Note: Subspecies fumosus has been considered a separate species in the past.